William Cregg and John Harke Receive New York State Senate Liberty Award

At a ceremony on September 30, 2013, State Senators John A. DeFrancisco and David J. Valesky presented Mr. William Cregg and Mr. John Harke of Central New York with the New York State Senate Liberty Award. The Liberty medal, which was created by the State Senate in 2000, is given to those civilians who have exhibited exceptional, heroic or humanitarian acts on behalf of their fellow New Yorkers.

Mr. Cregg and Mr. Harke were first on the scene of a brutal attack in Clay this past March. Both a woman, Liverpool librarian Lori Bresnahan, and a 10-year-old girl had been attacked by David Renz.

When Mr. Cregg and Mr. Harke noticed the child frantically running down Verplank Road in Clay, they immediately pulled over to help her, leading her to safety and calling 9-1-1. They also tended to Lori, but she died as a result of her injuries. Mr. Cregg and Mr. Harke are credited for saving the child's life, and the Liberty medal recognizes them for their noble and heroic actions.